Who is Present at YOUR Round Table?

Earlier, I read a post from Barrywax entitled Ramblings from my round table. Immediately, I was inspired by the idea of creating a context for my own life. I began to think about the qualities of those whom I would choose to be at my metaphorical round table and realized that creating such a list is no easy task. After all, as we move through life, our needs may shift as we change and [hopefully] evolve. Hmmmm…

I decided not to overcomplicate things by over thinking the matter because sometimes in life, the basics of survival are the only things that matter. An Internet search for “qualities Knights of the Round Table” led me to a site that has seemingly everything there is to know about the Knights. Cool.

My List:

1. Courage: The courage to know oneself or take the steps to know oneself. The courage to change for the better, even in the face of enormous strife. The courage to be strong for another when their reserves are gone. The courage to stand up for someone when they need backup. The courage to be forthright out of love for oneself and others.
2. Honor: The ability to honor agreements and/or modify those agreements when they no longer serve our purposes in life. The ability to honor oneself and their own Truth. The ability to feel honored to know that everyone in life offers something that can stimulate learning (even if the lesson is what not to do…). Honor for the duties that come with trust.
3. Dignity: To preserve the inalienable human right to dignity and respect in all interactions. To be worthy of reciprocal respect, even during the toughest times. To preserve one’s inner dignity and hold that status of importance in the highest esteem, no matter what. To conduct oneself in ways that prompt others to act respectfully and respond in dignified ways if respect is not given. To protect one’s inner voice as to what is right and to never abandon that voice.
4. Courtesy: To possess the ability to politely and respectfully establish behavior thresholds for oneself and others. To have the courage to apologize and own one’s behavior when necessary. To always first consider how another might receive communication of thoughts and feelings while maintaining the integrity of their inner voice throughout execution of that communication. To be courteous and mindful toward oneself.
5. Nobleness: To strive to act from the highest part of oneself, regardless of circumstances and/or successful attainment of the goal. To advocate for oneself and others, using their accomplishments and position in life for the greatest good. To understand that nobility must radiate from within and be outwardly present in all that one manifests.
6. Resilience: To have demonstrated through many failures that they can not only recover, but apply lessons learned for future battles. To have the ability to conduct an autopsy without blame (Collins, 2001) and to fearlessly face root causes to identify lessons learned. To have the ability to be honest with oneself in the face of negative feelings and emotions.
7. Capacity: To have the capacity for lifelong learning and growth. The capacity to love beyond measure, including love of oneself and others. The capacity to understand right thought and action. The capacity to respect others and accept them as they are. The capacity to resist the notion of changing someone else.
8. Awareness: To be aware of how their actions affect others. To be aware of the efforts needed to constantly change and grow. To be aware of who one is [present tense] coupled with a strong sense of awareness toward what they want to become, rather than what one may perceive as what they should become. The awareness and appreciation of the here and now.
9. Desire: To live life full-on, no holds barred, and without reservation embracing it all: the good, bad, and ugly. The desire to be free and act from the place that is firmly rooted in their Will. The desire to take ownership of their own destiny and work tirelessly toward making things happen.
10. Motivation: The motivation to do the [individual] work required to face fears and make one’s life an enriching and empowering experience. The motivation to heal past failures and move beyond what happened to determine what one desires their future to become.